Left Heart Vent Catheter

A method of venting the left ventricle of a patient's heart, comprising the steps of:

• providing a left heart vent catheter having:
• an elongate tube made of a flexible material that defines a first passageway, the elongate tube having a tip end, a central portion, and an exit end, the tip end being provided with openings that establish fluid communication with the first passageway;
• an expansible balloon disposed adjacent the openings in the tip end and surrounding at least a portion of the elongate tube, the balloon being positioned intermediate the openings in the tip end and the central portion;
• a second passageway extending along at least a portion of the length of the elongate tube, the second passageway establishing fluid communication with the balloon;
• and
• a branch tube projecting from the side of the elongate tube in the region of the exit end, the branch tube being in fluid communication with the second passageway;
• inserting the tip end and the balloon into the patient's left ventricle by passing the elongate tube through the patient's inferior or superior vena cava or the right pulmonary vein;
• inflating the balloon by pumping fluid into the second passageway through the branch tube until the balloon reaches a size to engage either the aortic valve or the tricuspid valve so as to prevent retraction of the tip end from the patient's left ventricle;
• and
• draining fluid within the patient's left ventricle through the openings in the tip end and the first passageway.

A method of venting the left ventricle of a patient's heart, comprising the steps of:

• providing a left heart vent catheter having:
• an elongate tube made of a flexible material that defines a first passageway, the elongate tube having a tip end, a central portion, and an exit end, the tip end being provided with openings that establish fluid communication with the first passageway;
• an expansible balloon disposed adjacent the openings in the tip end and surrounding at least a portion of the elongate tube, the balloon being positioned intermediate the openings in the tip end and the central portion;
• a second passageway extending along at least a portion of the length of the elongate tube, the second passageway establishing fluid communication with the balloon;
• and
• a branch tube projecting from the side of the elongate tube in the region of the exit end, the branch tube being in fluid communication with the second passageway;
• providing a guidewire introducer;
• placing the guidewire introducer in the first passageway
• inserting the tip end and the balloon into the patient's left ventricle by passing the elongate tube through the patient's inferior or superior vena cava or the right pulmonary vein;
• removing the guidewire introducer from the first passageway;
• inflating the balloon by pumping saline solution into the second passageway through the branch tube until the balloon reaches a size to engage either the aortic valve or the tricuspid valve so as to prevent retraction of the tip end from the patient's left ventricle;
• and
• draining fluid within the patient's left ventricle through the openings in the tip end and the first passageway.